Refillable electric fuse



May 26, 1931. J. H. HICKEY 1,807,406

REEILLABLE ELECTRIC FUSE Filed Dec. 19 1928 //VV/Y7'O/?. JOHN H. HICKEY.

IITTK Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. HICKEY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T HICKEY FUSE & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA REFILLABLE ELECTRIC FUSE Application filed December 19, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in refillable electric fuse construction wherein a terminal member of a fuse is detachably clamped into engagement with a plate seated upon the end of a fuse casing to seal said casing against leakage, said plate and the clamping means being removable as a unit to permit the replacing of a fusible element between the terminals of a fuse.

The present invention is directed to an improved construction and arrangement of the sealing and clamping means as disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial. No. 291,039, filed July 7, 1928, and consists of improved details of construction adapted to simplify and facilitate the construction and operation of the device.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved refillable electric fuse 29 construction.

Another object is to provide an improved means for assembling the fuse which will facilitate the refilling of the fuse.

A further object is to provide an improved '1 construction whereby the clamping means is eifectually centered and provided with an adequate bearing upon which said means may be turned to and from clamping position.

Another object is to provide an improved 1.8.0 structure wherein the clamping means is held in assembled relation with the sealing plate and provided with means for limiting the movement of the clamping means relative to the plate to facilitate alining and operating the device.

A still further object is to provide an improved construction in which the clamping means and the sealing plate are held in assembled relation and at the same time arranged to be swung apart for inspection and cleaning.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts through out the specification and drawings, and in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a fuse embodying my improvements;

Serial No. 327,119.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion. of the fuse, the view being taken at right angles to the positions shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the outer side of the sealing plate;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the outer side of the clamping member;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of. the clamping mem her as mounted upon the sealing plate and indicating the manner in which said clamping member may be turned to an inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner side of the clamping member;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the inner side of the sealing plate; and

Fig. 8 is transverse section of the sealing plate and clamping member assembled in operative relation.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in general the casing of a fuse, said fuse bein provided with terminal members 2 arranged to receive the ends of a fusible element 3 extending axially between said members 2 within the casing l. The terminal members 2 are provided with outwardly extending blade portions 4 adapt ed to engage the cont-acts of a fuse block, not shown, in the well known manner.

In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings, one of the terminal. members 2 is provided with an annular flange 6 arranged to seat upon one end of the casing 1 and to be secured in sealing relation thereto by means of a collar 7 threaded onto said end whereby the terminal may be readily removed and replaced as desired. The other terminal member is provided with a flange 5 which is movable through the casing 1.

A sealing plate 8 is arranged to seat upon the opposite end of the casing 1. The plate 8 is provided with an annular shoulder 9 arranged to it within the end of the casing. A slot 11 is formed in the plate 8 to receive the blade portion t of the adjacent terminal member 2. The plate 8 is also provided with an outwardly extending bearing portion 12 formed concentrically with the plate 8. Lugs 13 are formed upon the edges of the plate 8 and the annular flange portion 6 to engage notches cut into the ends of the casing 1 whereby said plate and flange may be accurately alined in relation to the casing and 8. The clamping member 14 consists of an annular ring having its inner circumference forming a neat bearing fit upon the bearing 12 and having its outer circumference match ing with the circumference ofthe plate 8. Notches 16 are formed to match with the ends of the slot 11 of the plate 8 and clamping'surfaces 1? are inclined in opposite directions from said notches as best shown in Figs. 4 and5 of the drawings, said surfaces being arranged concentrically with the member 14 and the plate 8, along the inner circumference of the ring.

Themember 14 is preferably secured to the plate 8 so that the two members may be held in assembled relation. This is preferably accomplished by means of a pin 18 secured to the plate 8' and extending outwardly therefrom through an arcuate slot 19 formed in the clampin ring 14. The pin 18 is provided with a head. 20 adapted to retain the ring 14 and said pin is made sufficiently long to permit the ring 14 to be I moved outwardly thereon sufficiently to clear the bearing portion 12 whereby said ring may be swungto a position such as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5.v topermit the contacting surfaces of the ring 14 and plate 8 to be inspected and cleaned.

In operation, a fusible element 3 is 013- cured between the terminal members 2 by suitable detachable securing members 21 and inserted through the casingso that the flange 6 will seat upon the adjacent end of the easing, the adjacent collar 7 being then applied to'secure said flange in sealing relation to the casing. The pl ate 8 is then moved: onto the opposite end ofthe casing, the blade 4 of the terminal being received within the slot 11 so that the plate may seat against the flange r and upon the end of the casing 1. In order to apply the plate 8 it is necessary for the clamping ring to. be moved to cause the notches '16 to match'with the ends of the slot 1-1 as shown in Fig. 5of the drawings. W hen the plat-e8 has been seated, the clamping ring 14 is turned to the right to cause the inclined clamping surfaces l'Z to enter notches. 22

formed in. the edges of the blade 4;. The ring 14 is rotatable upon the bearing port-ion of the plate 8 and is held in concentric rela' tion to'the plate and to the casing by said bearing. As. the ring is turned, the clamping surfaces press, the plate 8 firmly against the flange 5 of the terminal 2, thereby effectually clamping said plate and terminal together. A collar 7' is then threaded onto the end, of the casing 1, said collar being arranged to press. the ring 14 and the plate 8 into sealing ing position when moved through approxi mately 90.

To replace a blown fusible element 3, the collars T are removed and the terminal members withdrawn from the casing. A new fusible element 3 is then secured between the terminals and the fuse again assembled as above explained. In replacing a fuse, the plate 8 and clamping ring 14 are normally held assembled together and in proper alinement so that said members cannot be reassembled incorrectly. Furthermore, the hearing portion 12 prevents the ring 14 from get.- ting but of alinement and facilitates the turning of the ring to clamp. the parts together without disturbing said alinement. The

elongated pin 18 permits the ring l'4t o.be

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secu-reby Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a casingand terminal member of an electric fuse, of a plate adapted to seat upon, an end of the casing and slotted to receive the terminal member; a clamping member mounted adj acentthe outer face of the plate and provided with incl-inedsurfaces. movable to engage notches'formed in the terminal member to clamp the plate and terminal member together; and means for centering the clamping member relative to the plate and terminal member.

2. The combination with a casing and terminal member of an electric fuse, of a plate, adapted to seat upon an end of the casin g and slotted. to receive the terminal member; a clamping member mounted adjacent the outer face of the plate and provided with inclined surfaces. movable to engage notches formed in the terminal member toclamp the plate and terminal members together; and means formed upon the plate for centering the clamping member an d'forming a bearing rotatably engaging the clamping member.

3. The combination with a casing and. tera minal. member of an electric fuse, of. a plate adapted to seat upon an end of the casing and. slotted. to receive the terminal i l-umber; a cl a-mpingmember mounted adjacent the outer face of the plate and provided with, inclined surfaces movable to engagenotches formed inthe terminal member to cla1np .theplate and; terminal members together and anv outward. lv disposed concentric bearing formed. upon the plate and? rotatably engaging the clamping member for centeri-ngsaid clamping me1n-.

ber relative to the plate and the terminal member.

4. The combination with a casing and terminal member of an electric fuse, of a plate adapted to seat upon an end of the casing and slotted to receive the terminal member; a clamping member mounted adjacent the outer face of the plate and provided with inclined surfaces movable to engage notches formed in the terminal member to clamp the plate and terminal members together; an outwardly disposed concentric bearing formed upon the plate and rotatably engaging the clamping member for centering said clamping member relative to the plate and terminal member; and means for limiting the rotative movement of the clamping member relative to the plate.

5. The combination with a casing and terminal member of an electric fuse, of a plate adapted to seat upon the end of the casing and slotted to receive the terminal member; a clamping member mounted adjacent the outer face of the plate and movable to engage notches formed in the terminal member to clamp the plate and terminal members together; an outwardly disposed concentric bearing formed upon the plate and rotatably engaging the clamping member for centering said clamping member relative to the plate and terminal member; and a pin secured to the plate and extending outwardly through an arcuate slot formed in the clamping member to limit the movement of said clamping member and to retain said. clamping member in assembled relation to the plate.

6. The combination with a casing and terminal member of an electric fuse, of a plate adapted to seat upon the end of the casing and slotted to receive the terminal member; a clamping member mounted adjacent the outer face of the plate and movable to engage notches formed in the terminal member to clamp the plate and terminal members together; an outwardly disposed concentric bearing formed upon the plate and rotatably engaging the clamping member for centering said clamping member relative to the plate and terminal member; a pin secured to the plate and extending outwardly through an arcuate slot formed in the clamping member to limit the movement of said clamping member and to retain said clamping member in assembled relation to the plate, said piu being extended outwardly to permit the clamping member to be moved outwardly out of engagement with the bearing portion and swung away from the face of the plate whereby the contacting surfaces between the plate and clamping member may be cleaned.

7. The combination with a casing and a terminal member of an electric fuse, said terminal member being provided with an outwardly extending blade portion having oppositely disposed notches formed in the edges thereof, of a plate adapted to seat upon the end of the casing to seal the same, said plate being slotted to receive the terminal blade portion; an outwardly disposed bearing portion formed upon the outer face of the plate concentrically with the plate; a clamping ring rotatably mounted upon the bearing portion and adapted to seat upon outer face of the plate, said ring having notches matching with the ends of the plate slot to receive the edges of the blade portion; and inclined clamping surfaces formed upon the ring and adapted to be moved into the notches of the blade portion to clamp the terminal and plate together.

8. The combination with a casing and a terminal member of an electric fuse, said terminal member being provided with an outwardly extending blade portion havlng oppositely disposed notches formed in the edges thereof, of a plate adapted to seat upon the end of the casing to seal the same, said plate being slotted to receive the terminal blade portion; an outwardly disposed bearing portion formed upon the outer face of the plate concentrically with the plate; a clamping ring rotatably mounted upon the bearing portion and adapted to seat upon the outer face of the plate, said ring having notches matching with the ends of the plate slot to receive the edges of the blade portion; inclined clamping surfaces formed upon the ring and adapted to be moved into the notches of the blade portion to clamp the terminal and plate together; and means for limiting the rotative movement of the clamping ring relative to the plate.

9. The combination with a casing and a terminal member of an electric fuse, said terminal member being provided with an outwardly extending blade portion having oppositely disposed notches formed in the edges thereof, of a plate adapted to seat upon the end of the casing to seal the same, said plate being slotted to receive the terminal blade portion; an outwardly disposed bearing portion formed upon the outer face of the plate concentrically with the plate; a clamping ring rotatably mounted upon the bearing portion and adapted to seat upon the outer face of the plate, said ring having notches matching with the ends of the plate slot to I'GCCl"6 the edges of the blade portion inclined clamping surfaces formed upon the ring and adapted to be moved into the notches of the blade portion to clamp the terminal and plate together; and means securing the clamping ring upon the plate and adapted to limit the rotative movement of said ring relative to said plate.

10. The combination with a casing and a terminal member of an electric fuse, said terminal member being provided with an outwardly extending blade portion having oppositely disposed notches formed in the edges thereof of it: plate adapted to seat uponthe end the casing to seal the same, said plate being; slotted to receive the terminal h' liade portion; outwardly disposed bearing port-ion formed upon the outer face of the plateconcentrically With the plate; a,- clamping ring rotatably mounted upon the bearing, portionand ztdwpted-tosea-t upon the outer face ozf'the plate, said ring having; notches match ing Wi th the ends the; plate slot to receive the edges of the blade portion; inclined clampi-n-g eurfeeesr formed upon. the ring and adapted to be moved into the notehes oi the blade portion to clamp the terminal and plate together; and a pin secured to the plate and extending outwardly through an arcuate slot formedin the ring, said pin and slot being 29 adapted to normaliy hold the ring and plate in assembledreletionand to limit the rota-tive movement of saidri-ng relative to saidplate, said: pin being also adapted to. permit the ring; to be moved out of engagement with; the bean ing portion; and swung away from. the face of. the plate.

In Witness Whereot, I hereunto set my signature" JOHN H. HICKEY. 

